Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

13 minutes after its takeoff from La Paz-El Alto Airport, while climbing in poor weather conditions, the airplane crashed into Mt Cunatincuta located few km from the capital city. The aircraft was destroyed and all 12 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed LC-130F Hercules in McMurdo Sound

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1971

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

148318

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

McMurdo Sound - Christchurch

MSN:

3562

YOM:

1960

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll, the left wing struck a snow bank. The aircraft rolled left and right, causing the right wing to struck the ground. On impact, the right wing broke in two between both engines and the aircraft caught fire. The crew was able to stop the airplane and to evacuate. There were no injuries but the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Beechcraft U-21A Ute in South Korea

Date & Time: Feb 10, 1971

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft U-21 Ute

Operator:

Registration:

67-18095

Flight Type:

Military

MSN:

LM-91

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in South Korea. Crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Nord 262A-34 near Mézilhac: 21 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1971 at 0940 LT

Type of aircraft:

Nord 262

Operator:

Registration:

44/F-RBOA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Vélizy-Villacoublay - Orange

MSN:

YOM:

1968

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Vélizy-Villacoublay Air Base on a special flight to Orange AFB, carrying six officers, seven engineers of the CEA - Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique (Central commission for nuclear energy) and a crew of eight who were scheduled to conduct an inspection of the nuclear center of Pierrelatte. The pilot was cleared by Marseille ATC to descent to 8,000 feet until Montélimar then to 5,000 feet to Orange. For unknown reason, the crew started the descent prematurely and in marginal weather conditions, the airplane stuck the slope of Mt Suc de Pradou (1,342 meters high) located about 3 km southeast of Mézilhac. The wreckage was found about 200 meters below the summit and all 21 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Lt Pierre Chaintreau,
Adj/C Jean-Michel Reig,
Adj/C Jacques Deville,
Adj Alain Gaudy,
Sgt/C Claude Touzeau,
Sgt/C Jean-Pierre Boutin,
Off Alain Giblan,
Sdt Bertrand Courbier.
Passengers:
Amiral Robert Landrin,
Gen Édouard Billion,
Gen Jean-Marc Pineau,
Col Charles Birckel,
Col Alain Rolland de Chambaudoin d’Erceville,
Cpt André Bouteiller,
Jean Gaume, engineer,
Paul Johann, engineer,
Jean Labussière, engineer,
Hubert Lefèbvre de Laboulaye, engineer,
Jacques Mabile, engineer,
François Ronteix, engineer,
Georges Tirole, engineer.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the crew may misunderstood and mixed both altitude clearances of 8,000 feet till Montélimar and 5,000 feet till Orange, descending prematurely. In consequence, the accident was the result of a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Bucaramanga: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1971

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

FAC-653

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Santa Marta – Bucaramanga

Location:

Bucaramanga-Gomez Niño

Santander

Country:

Colombia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Bucaramanga-Gómez Niño Airport, the airplane struck the slope of Mt La Judia located about 11 km east of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D Commando near Palca: 35 killed

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1971 at 1430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

FAP381

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Mazamari – Lima

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising in limited visibility, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Cuti Padre located in the region of Palca, Junín. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 35 occupants have been killed. The airplane was on its way from Mazamari to Lima, carrying a crew of five and 30 passengers, 14 Police officers and 16 of their family members. It is believed the accident was the result of an in-flight technical problem.

Crash of a De Havilland C-7B Caribou in Đà Lạt

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1971

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

62-12584

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

145

YOM:

1963

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Đà Lạt, South Vietnam. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were injured.

Probable cause:

Without further details, USAF confirmed the accident was the consequence of a pilot error.

Crash of a De Havilland U-1A Otter off Tuy Hòa: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1970

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

Operator:

Registration:

55-3298

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Biên Hòa – Tuy Hòa

MSN:

153

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was returning from Tuy Hòa from a Special Forces mission to Biên Hòa and had already radioed Tuy Hòa tower that it was 15 miles south for a landing. This radio call was the last thing heard from the aircraft. Witnesses testified that the aircraft was seen burning in flight and impacted into the South China Sea in two parts about eight miles south of Tuy Hoa. Neither the aircraft nor the remains of three crew members have been recovered.

Crash of an Antonov AN-22 in Panagarh: 25 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1970 at 1650 LT

Type of aircraft:

Antonov AN-22

Operator:

Registration:

CCCP-09305

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Dhaka - New Delhi

MSN:

9340205

YOM:

1979

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

About 40 minutes after his departure from Dhaka-Tejgaon Airport, en route to New Delhi, the crew declared an emergency after a propeller detached and was rerouted to Panagarh, West Bengal. Unable to lower the gear and the flaps, the captain made a low pass (one meter) above the runway for two km when the right wing dropped and struck the runway surface. Out of control, the airplane crashed and caught fire. All 25 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of propeller blades which detached in flight for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Grumman C-2A Greyhound into the Gulf of Tonkin: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Grumman C-2A Greyhound

Operator:

Registration:

155120

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

USS Ranger - USS Ranger

MSN:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Just after being catapulted from the USS Ranger (CVA-61), the airplane stalled and crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin, some 130 km northeast of Đà Nẵng. The aircraft was lost and all nine occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Lt Meril Olen McCoy,
Lt(jg) Anthony J. Piersanti,
P03 Clyde Chilton Owen,
AMS3 John Frank Szlapa.

Probable cause:

It is believed the loss of control may have been caused by the cargo that shifted at liftoff.